Carving-machine.



PATENTED AUG. 30, 1904.

F. STRBIGH. OARVING MACHINE.

, APPLICATION FILED APR. 19, 1902.

4 SHEETSSHBET 1.

N0 MODEL.

Inoendo 71' 01W m E PATENTED AUG. 30, 1904.

F. STRBIGH.

GARVING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 19, 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

No. 768,917. PATENTED AUG. 30, 1904. F. STRBIGH. CARVING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 19, 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

N0 MODEL.

w muwmMM PATENTED AUG. 30, 1904-...

P. STREIGH.

' GARVING MACHINE. PPLIOATION AP UNTTED STATES Patented August 30, 1904:.

PATENT OEEicE.

FRANK STREICH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE UNIVERSAL AUTOMATIC CARYING MACHINE COM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CARVlNG-WIACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 768,917, dated August 30, 1904.

Application filed April 19, 1902.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,FRANK STREIOH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have 5 invented new and useful Improvements in Carving-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to machines for carving or grinding wood, metal, IO stone, or other material and operating to produce a number of copies of any given pattern, whether relief or intaglio, the invention having particular reference to automatic machines for the purpose indicated.

My primary object is to provide a machine of this character of improved general construction, particular attention being paid to securing simplicity of parts, practical accuracy in duplication, and improved results as regards the surface-finishing of the copies, the objectionable feature of chipping and breaking the work being obviated.

In the preferred construction there are employed a reciprocating pattern and work holder suitably mounted on a main frame, a transversely-movable intermittently-fed toolframe constrained to rise and fall in a vertical plane and universally connected with the main frame, and constantly-driven retracting 3 mechanism for the tool-frame which serves to aid the pattern-tracer in mounting the sharp prominences of the pattern, the retractive force varying with the turning moment exerted by the pattern upon the tracer.

My invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a plan view of the machine; Fig. 2, a View in side elevation of the 4 same; Fig. 3, a view in front elevation; Fig. 3, a detail view, partly in horizontal section, illustrating a star-wheel and its connections employed in the transverse feed of the toolframe; Fig. 3", a detached view of one of two standards mounted upon the reciprocating pattern and work holder and serving to actuate the star-wheel once at each half-reciprocation of the pattern and work holder; Fig.

Serial No. 103,808. (No model.)

3", a detail of a universal joint employed; Fig. 4L, a broken sectional view taken as indicated at line L of Fig. 3 and showing in detail the toolframe-retracting mechanism, and Fig. 5 a broken horizontal sectional view taken as indicated at line 5 of Fig. 4.

The preferred construction is as follows:

A represents a main frame equipped with longitudinal guides at and provided at its sides with central standards A and end standards A B, a longitudinally-reciprocating pattern and work holder mounted on the guides at and actuated by connecting-rods B, driven by gears B C, a transversely-extending toolframe (combined tracer and cutter) having at its ends projecting stubs or shafts C C extending through slots 0 M, with which the standards A are provided; D, a pattern-engaging finger or tracer rigidly connected with the frame C; E, revolving cutters depending from spindles E, journaled in the frame C and equipped with pulleys E F, a pulley frame comprising a rear transverse member F, journaled at its ends in bearings b, with which the main frame is provided, a central transverse member F links F joining the members F F and links F joining the member F to the tool-frame C; G, a horizontally-disposed pulley-shaft supported by the standards A and having journaled thereon idle pulleys Cr; Cr G double pulleys with vertical axes journaled in the frame member F; G3 G double pulleys with vertical axes journaled in the frame member F; H, a line-shaft equipped with pulleys H, connected by belts H with the pulleys .G the members'of each belt passing about the idlers G, as indicated in Fig. 1; H belts connecting the pulleys Gr with the pulleys G H, belts connecting the pulleys Cr with the pulleys E; I, a transverse shaft journaled in the frame A and equipped with pinions I, meshing with the gears EH1 a pulley through the medium of which the shaft I is rotated and which receives motion from a belt I connected witha shaft H; J J, gears fixed to rotate with short shafts J J journaled in the standards A; J pulleys fixed to the outer ends of the shafts J 3 and connected by belts J with pulleys J" on the shaft 1; J J, friction pulleys or disks formed integral with the gears J J and constantly rotated thereby; J", friction -shoes engaging the friction-rmlleys J J; "1 vertically-movable frame-actuating members having their lower portions connected by metallic straps c with the shoes I" and having also at proper points perforations slidably receiving the stub shafts C (1 J, springs connected with the upper ends of the members J" and adjustably connected with uprights (I, carried by the standards A; K, a star-wheel having threaded connection with one of the stubs C and confined against movement laterally with relation to the main frame by horizontally-disposed bracket K, projecting from the main frame; K starwheel-actuating standards carried by the reciprocating holder B and located on opposite sides of the star-wheel, as shown in Fig. 2, and L a transverse tie-rod or brace joining the standards A.

The frame A is formed with a divided support f, affording journal-boxes for the shafts J J", as shown in Fig. 3. The reciprocating pattern and work holder B is provided at its lateral edges with IF-shaped longitudinal slots g, which adjustably receive bolts 9, connected with the connecting-rods B. The gearwheels B are provided, Figs. 1 and 2, with radial "if-shaped slots 71., which adjustably receive the heads of bolts, forming a connection between said gears and the adjacent ends of the connecting-rods B. It will be understood that by means of the bolt-andslot connection at 71. any desired throw may be imparted to the connecting-rods and that by means of the bolt-andwslot connection at g any desired portion of the pattern and work holder may be brought beneath the tool-frame.

The tool-frame C comprises, mainly, two transverse bars Z1, joined by upright connections K". It is further provided with upright connecting members If, having ball-andsocket connections with the front ends of the members F of the swinging pulley-frame F, as shown in Fig. 3. The pulleys E are fixed to the spindles of the cutters E and are closely confined, so that there can be no movement of the spindles longitudinally in their bearings----that is, no movement relatively to the frame C. The belt-frame members F are connected with the member F by vertical pivots Z and with the frame member F by vertical pivots Z, which serve also to connect the rear ends of the members F with the member F". This construction permits the frame C to move freely vertically and laterally. To

allow this action, the bracket is is provided with a transverse slot m, which receives the corresponding stub C and permits vertical movement of the latter, and with a longitudinal slot 712, which receives the star-wheel K and permits the latter to rise and fall with the stub C. Each star-wheel-actuating standard K is provided with two perforations m m", located at different heights. As shown in Fig. 3, the front one of said standards is equipped at the perforation m with a starwheel-engaging pin on! and the rear one of said standards is equipped at the perforation 911? with a star-wheel-engaging pin m". The two standards are in alinement longitudinally of the machine and are separated by a space, as shown in Fig. 3. As the pins m" m are located they will serve to actuate the starwheel in a direction to move the frame 0 from left to right, viewing the machine as in Fig. 3, it being understood that the uppermost pin encounters the upper portion of the starwheel when the reciprocating holder B nears the front end of its traverse and the lower pin encounters the lower portion of the star-wheel when said holder nears the rear end of its traverse. Obviously by shifting the pins the direction of feed may be changed.

The shoes or friction members J are of the curved form shown in Fig. A and have adjacent to their extremities concave lugs 22, which bear upon the peripheries of the friction-pulleys J J. The convex surfaces of said shoes are toward each other, and the upper extremities of the straps 0 pass about the upper portions of said convex surfaces, the member J fitting closely between the shoes and serving to hold the latter in frictional contact with the constantly-rotating pulleys J 7 J The weight of the frame G is almost counterbalanced by the springs J", and a certain retractive force is constantly exerted by the rotating friction-pulleys upon the shoes J", thereby tending to lift the tool-frame. The adjustment is such, however, that all the forces acting upon the tool-frame are practically balanced until a turning moment is exerted upon the tool-frame through the medium of the tracer, caused by the latter encountering an elevation in the pattern. \Vhen such a turning moment is exerted, it increases the pressure between one of the shoes and the friction-pulley with which it contacts, depending upon the direction of travel of the holder B, thereby causing a greater lifting force to be exerted upon the tool-frame.

The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing detailed description. The pattern M is secured to the holder B in a central position, and the blocks of material N to be operated upon are secured at proper distances apart at both sides of the pattern. The machine is adjusted to bring the work properly beneath .the cutters and to give the required working stroke for the work being operated upon. The machine is then set in mo tion and the tool-frame moved to bring the tracer into contact with the pattern, preferably at one side thereof. As the holder B moves in one direction a line of the pattern passes beneath the tracer, and through the medium of the tracer the frame C is caused to rise and fall, according to the undulations of the line of the pattern being traced. When the. tracer encounters either a gentle incline or an abrupt prominence, a turning moment is imparted to the tracer and thereby to the frame C, causing increased pressure on one of the friction-disks. as hereinbefore explained, whereby the retractive mechanism responds instantly in proportion to the turning moment produced to aid in raising the frame to permit the tracer to pass over the obstruction encountered. The movement of the tracer is duplicated at each of the cutters, so that practically exact copies of the pattern are reproduced, and an important feature of the invention is that of the rising and falling tool-frame, with the tracer rigidly connected therewith and the cutters journaled in the toolframe and immovable longitudinally in their bearings, any suitable retractive mechanism being employed and the tool-frame being fed transversely or not, as desired. 5 fact that a certain time is required for the tracer to mount a prominence of the pattern, so that in practice the incline encountered by the tracer must never amount to a perpendicular surface. However, the retractive mechanism will operate safely to carry the tracer up very abrupt inclines and to prevent breaking, chipping, and surface inequalities. Thus when the tracer-point encounters an abrupt shoulder the tool-frame is swung almost imperceptibly about the tracer-point, the tracerpoint being delayed for an instant. This movement is duplicated at each of the cutters, so that for an instant the cutters continue to act at the base of the incline and also to produce almost vertical inclines upon the work where they are operating. In the meantime the retractive mechanism is affected by the increased pressure produced at the, for the time being, operative friction-disk and the tool-frame is elevated. The response of the retractive mechanism is so quick that coupled with the slightly-yielding movement of the cutter-points the tool-frame is caused to rise before such flexure is produced upon the cutters as to cause them to jump, so that a smooth cut is made.

It should be remarked that while the slots (4 If serve as guides to a certain extent for the stubs C (l the connection is loose enough to permit the slight tilting movement of the tool-frame mentioned. The upper portions of the members J pass between the guiderollers p, as. shown in Fig. 4,'so that when pressure is exerted upon the tracer the members J pry over the shoes on one side, the pressure being resisted by the guide-rollers at the opposite side.

The leading feature of my invention is that of a tool-frame supported in substantially the manner described and fed transversely of the It is a recognized machine by any suitable mechanism. An important feature is that of the constantly-driven friction-disks having axes perpendicular to the direction of movement of the reciprocating pattern and work holder and the frictionactuated members combined therewith for raising the tool-frame, and still another important feature is the combination of the two preceding featuresviz., the tool-frame supported in a manner to permit the movement described and the friction-disks and coacting parts arranged to permit said action and varying in their lifting effect as a result of said action. Still another feature of novelty is that of the means for reciprocating the pattern and work holder.

- It readily will be perceived that certain features of my invention are applicable to carving-machines generally and thatcertain other features are limited to automatic carving-machines employing means for retracting the tracer to permit use in connection with deeprelief patterns, although not limited to the precise form of tracer-retracting mechanism herein described.

Many minor changes in details of construction within the spirit of my invention may be made. Hence no undue limitation is to be understood from the foregoing detailed description, which has been given for clearness of understanding only.

hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a main frame, a reciprocating holder, a tool-frame movable toward and away from said holder, a tracer and cutter carried by said tool-frame, means for actuating said cutter, a star-wheel connected with the main frame and with the tool-frame and serving to feed the tool-frame transversely of the machine, and a star-wheel-actuating device carried by said reciprocating holder.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a main frame, a suitably- IIO actuated pattern and work holder, a tool-frame movable toward and away from said holder, means for feeding said tool-frame transversely of the machine, comprising a star-wheel partaking of the rising-and-falling movements of said tool-frame, and means carried by said holder for actuating said star-wheel.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a main frame, a suitablyactuated pattern and Work holder, a tool-frame movable toward and away from said holder, means for feeding said tool-frame transversely of the machine, comprising a threaded stub carried by said tool-frame, a star-wheel having screw connection with said threaded stub and capable of a rising-and-falling movement, means carried by the main frame for confining said star-wheel against movement laterally of the main frame, and means carried by said holder for actuating said star-wheel.

4. In a machine of the characterdescribed, the combination of a main frame, a suitablyactuated pattern and work holder, a tool-frame movable toward and. away from said holder, means for feeding said tool-frame transversely of the machine, com n'ising a threaded stub carried by said frame, a star-wheel having screw connection with said threaded stub and capable of a rising-and-falling movement, and standards arranged on said holder in the front and rear of said star-wheel and provided with pins, one being in the path of the upper portion of the wheel and the other in the path of the lower portion of the wheel.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a main frame, a suitablyactuated pattern and work holder, a tool-frame constrained to move in a plane substantially perpendicular to said pattern and work holder, a jointed pulley-frame connected with said tool-frame and said main frame, rotary cutters journaled in the tool-frame and confined against movement longitudinally of themselves with relation to said tool-frame, pulleys and belts serving to communicate motion to said cutters, and means for feeding said toolframe automatically transversely of the machine.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a main frame, a suitablyactuated pattern -holder, a pattern secured thereto, a tool-frame movable toward and away from said holder, a tracer and cutter connected with said frame, means for actuating said cutter, a rotary friction member, a friction-shoe coacting with said rotary member, a flexible strap connected with said shoe, and connections between said strap and said toolframe, substantially as described.

'7. In a machine ef the character described, the combination of a main frame, a reciprocating pattern and work holder, a tool-frame movable at right angles to said holder and transversely of the machine, a pair of frictiondisks at each side of the machine, each pair having the space between the members thereof in substantially the plane of said tool-frame, members connected with said tool-frame and actuated. by said friction-disks, and a tracer and suitably-actuated cutters connected with said tool-frame.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a main frame, a suitablyactuated pattern-holder, a tool-frame movable toward and awayfrom said holder, vertical. members connected with said tool-frame, rollers journaled on the main frame and confining said vertical members between them, friction-shoes connected with said vertical members and confining the same between them, and suitably-driven friction-disks coaeting' with said shoes.

9. In a machine of the characterdescribed, the combination of a main frame, a suitablyactuated holder, a tool-frame movable toward and away from said holder, a pair of intermeshing gears suitably journaled at each side of the frame, and four friction-disks driven by said gears and serving to 'act upon said tool-frame.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a main frame, a suitablyactuated pattern and work holder, a toolframe constrained to move in a plane substantially perpendicular to said pattern and work holder, at jointed pulley frame conneeted with said toolframe and said main frame, rotary cutters journaled in the toolframe and confined against movement longitudinally of themselves with relation to said toolframe, pulleys and belts serving to communicate motion to said cutters, friction mechanism at the sides of the machine, including vertically movable members, and slide connections between said. tool-frame and said members.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a main frame, a horizontall y-disposed reciprocating pattern and work holder, a vertically and transversely movable tool frame, automatic transverse feeding means for said tool-frame, a tracer and rotary cutter connected with the tool-frame, and friction mechanism at the sides of the machine, including members moving in vertical guides and actuated with variation in the turning moment exercised upon the tracer, said members having perforations, and projections at the ends of the tool-frame slidably received by said perforations, for the purpose set forth.

FRANK STREICH.

In presence of- L. HuIs An, ALBERT .1). BACCI. 

